I'm a professional software developer, although these days I manage people more than I code. In my past I've written and published science fiction novels and similar things, but revenue from that never even scratched the surface of my day job. For every J. K. Rowling or Steven King there are thousands of good, published writers who make tiny amounts of money. I'm nowhere near able to give up one for the other. At the same time, I work like a software developer too. On top of my day job, I spend 10 to 20 hours a week working on these games.

ShadyGroves, while you may have missed an opportunity in college, there's nothing stopping you from writing now. You don't have to be published, or part of whatever professional writing association is appropriate for your chosen genre, or have taken special classes. Writers write. If you want to be a writer, then start writing. Writing is a skill like any other. You get better with practice. Your first stuff will be bad. And your second stuff will be better. And your third better still. Keep at it.

You introduced us to a lot of secondary characters in the games. Such as Brian the bar keep, Vince the bouncer, Jan and the gym, Atlas, Serena Paul's co worker, even Gary and his wife, Silva and Charles. You might consider continuing them in the new story arc. That way you can transition in cameo appearance of the previous characters.

Example

Lets say have your new characters visit Brian's bar for a meeting with old characters there in background as well.

Or have your new Characters working out in Jan's Gym with Miranda or Theresa working out in background,.

"In the hands of the right man, a woman is a hundred different women, limited only by imagination and his willingness to make her feel safe and lead her." -- Chrissy Miller

I'm kinda hoping for a completely new universe to explore. I don't know why but I have this image in my mind of Mortze who, akin to a starving tiger with itchy paws, is eager to pounce on some meaty sci-fi goodness.

ShadyGroves wrote:So like I'm certain you guys M & T will be taking a break from game developments for a while having finally completed Saving Chloe.

Still any hints as to what direction you'll be taking future installments of new stories arcs in the Elsa verse?

Any hints as to the “falling darkness” you mention in credits? It suggests the new stories will be more darker in tone?

Mortze works full time at this, so he will be producing images for something or other to keep his creative muscle active. We might see another bite of the Pandora-verse

There have been many hint from Lady T spattered around various forums, but unless i have missed something, the Keeley-verse is due another visit.

Darkness always falls when the light moves away: the light cannot shine everywhere and one cannot exist without the other.

Ah but getting philosophically here and speaking as over thirty year Pagan an Wiccan perspective

There is no duality no true light and dark, good or evil. Just different aspects of the One.

Case in point.

Xara hunted down Morphus in let us say the 1660s Colonial America. (DreamMaster) Morphus was brought back to Xara's realm and certain death for rebelling against Morland. In that case Xara was acting as agent of evil. Granted misguided but she was evil non the less. Fourteen years later (in her realm) she became the rebel against Morland and escaped to Elsa verse in 2017.

So in a philosophical sense Xara was both good and evil.

As Obi won would say … “What we hold as truth is all but a matter of perspective.”

One man's hero is another mans villain and tyrant.

General George Washington is America's Hero and founder of the Nation of the USA.But to British (and remembered as such by the British today) he was traitor and villain.

"In the hands of the right man, a woman is a hundred different women, limited only by imagination and his willingness to make her feel safe and lead her." -- Chrissy Miller

It appears that Xara's realm wasn't as 'holy' a place either. From our perspective.

Taking a girl at the age of three and instructing her combat, with near torturous training. Naked in the snow, electrocution to endure pain, heck set on fire too! Then an entire life as serving as a Praetorian guard to feudal Lord Emperor/King. A civilization into building Empires. Doesn't seem that Xara's realm would appreciate Democracy at all.

I can imagine Capt Kirk and Enterprise visiting Xara's realm. Prime Directive be damned! He would say.

Maybe Morland was acting in the right to destroy such a civilization... just saying.

"In the hands of the right man, a woman is a hundred different women, limited only by imagination and his willingness to make her feel safe and lead her." -- Chrissy Miller

It's also very revealing of Xara's over all character that she took the path she did in the ending of the cannon path. After a near year in our realm after forming a deep friendship with Elsa and somewhat with Miranda, after the first sprigs of a blossoming relationship with Lucas and Paul. Did nothing of her life on Earth affect her outlook? Apparently not for she took the path she did.

Its for that reason I love the endings for her in the secondary paths.

After all they did to her in her old realm. The cane deserved to be in the trash bin.

"In the hands of the right man, a woman is a hundred different women, limited only by imagination and his willingness to make her feel safe and lead her." -- Chrissy Miller

ShadyGroves wrote:It's also very revealing of Xara's over all character that she took the path she did in the ending of the cannon path. After a near year in our realm after forming a deep friendship with Elsa and somewhat with Miranda, after the first sprigs of a blossoming relationship with Lucas and Paul. Did nothing of her life on Earth affect her outlook? Apparently not for she took the path she did.

Its for that reason I love the endings for her in the secondary paths.

After all they did to her in her old realm. The cane deserved to be in the trash bin.

Xara doesn`t have anything like friendship with anyone. Human or not. Xara does not see Elsa as a friend. She has come in our Realm to complete her mission and Elsa (and all the other Angels) is a tool for her. Just like Chloe is a tool for her father to achieve his goals. Friendship, affection, love or any other social feeling is alien and taboo to Xara (and that`s true about Mortland too). She`s curious about all these "terrestrial stuff" and wants to learn more about them but she feels like a fish out of water when she`s not fighting or training and she trusts no one, especially after being betrayed by her Superior Commander whom Xara was taught to worship as an Undisputable God since she was 3 yo.

Even her feelings for Paul are very physical in every sense of the word (she seems to like lite BSDM). She`s starting to feel attracted to Paul but all this is something she doesn`t quite understand and she`s struggling with her whole life education about "fraternization" being strictly prohibited. And assuming Canon path is what "really" happened she never changed. Her feelings about Paul never develope any further than merely sexual and she never reveals them. (Yeah, not a very romantic gal).

About Xara being Good and Evil, Xara is a soldier. and a soldier never thinks about "good or evil". A soldier obeys the orders without question. That is very clear when she talks to the Commander about "the punishment". Commander`s job is to think, Royal Guards` job is to protect the Commander.

But Xara story after returning to her Realm could be very interesting. The only deep-rooted feelings Xara has, are the Sense of Duty and Worship of her Commander. The former is still strong but the latter surely has suffered a blow and that seems to be Xara`s biggest and most complex frustration. Xara dealing with all these after she accomplishes her mission could be very intriguing.

One of the most discussed endings seems to be the "the bin" ending. I can't recall if i have read it here or some other forum but some people liked it and some others were a little disappointed.

After being betrayed by her Commander, whose life and orders were Xara`s only purpose and meaning of existence, the only thing left for her is to defeat Mortland. If she fails at this her life has no more meaning. If she returns in her Realm she would either be killed by her enemies or executed by her Commander for failing to carry out her orders. And she will probably choose the former, dying in the battlefield against those who took the purpose of life away from her. So either way the "old" Xara is dead.

But if Paul shows interest toward her, she can start a new life with him. In order to do so she has to erase everything from her past. She has to abandon her old beliefs and her distrust in humans. Of course she will always have her punishment, but she can't go back or continue with her old life style. In this case the "bin ending" is the most logical ending.

Crane wrote:About Xara being Good and Evil, Xara is a soldier. and a soldier never thinks about "good or evil". A soldier obeys the orders without question. That is very clear when she talks to the Commander about "the punishment". Commander`s job is to think, Royal Guards` job is to protect the Commander.

Well that's kind of why I don't like the cannon path Xara. She unquestionably follows orders without questioning those orders or those that give her those orders.

Morland gave her orders to go after and get Morphus. She did. Without thinking or investigating if Morphus' grievances were just. If she had she might have realized that Morland was double crossing the very people Xara swore to protect as Royal Guard. She eludes to this mistake in one of non cannon paths btw.

When have we in human history heard the excuse. “I was only carrying out my orders as a solider.” We heard it in the 1940s and 1950s the Nuremberg Crimes Against Humanity Trial” following WWII.

Since then every Soldiers Oath includes the like that Conscience should superseded a direct order in certain situations.

Then there is fact that basically her training in the other realm was tantamount to torture. Then she basically has sword thrust through her and her eyes ripped out. And all her commanding officer thinks about (not the care of the solider btw which every good Commander does) is inflicting more torture (the dream implant) upon her for her failure take down Morland after she's wounded?!?

Basically Xara's home is a hell hole of cruelty and what the heck is she still fighting for it?

She's been on Earth among Earthlings for a year maybe more. She's seen loving and caring relationships right before her. Surely after a year of seeing how other civilizations live. She'd be questioning her peoples ways?

Instead in the cannon path we get a Xara that's basically a Terminator. A single minded machine that will carry out her orders. An if any of Xara's Angels falls .. Oh well that's just collateral damage.

Without giving away too much. .. for those that haven't played it yet.

But Miranda had very good reason to yell at her in the gym. Elsa had a very good reason to distrust her.

For indeed Xara canon path considered them as expendable. In her single minded determined effort to bring back Morland. Nor was Xara willing to fill them in on what they were really up against.

The cannon Xara.. lets face it is pretty darn dangerous and dark to her men (Xara's Angels.)

An her civilization. Basically one of cruelty, feudalism Roman like. With the Royal Guard once concerned for one thing obeying the Monarch/Emperor without question. To maintain the status quo. Or else our Dream Masters will punish you for the rest of your life.

"In the hands of the right man, a woman is a hundred different women, limited only by imagination and his willingness to make her feel safe and lead her." -- Chrissy Miller